Rahul Gandhi to hold rally in Arunachal
Itanagar: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will arrive in Arunachal Pradesh on March 18 to kick start the party’s poll campaign for April 9 simultaneous Parliament and Assembly elections in the state. The Congress leader would address a public rally at Hapoli in Lower Subansiri district on March 18 and would visit other few states of the North East region on the same day, Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Mukut Mithi told reporters here on Sunday. Gandhi would arrive at Lilabari airport in Assam’s North Lakhimpur district and would take a chartered chopper to Hapoli, party sources disclosed. Rahul’s visit would be a befitting reply to the large public rally addressed by BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi at Pasighat in East Siang district on February 22 last, sources added. Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangement have been made at Hapoli on the eve of Rahul’s visit, official sources informed. (PTI)
Regional workshop for NE archaeologists begins at Kohima
Kohima: The eight-day regional workshop for Archaeologists of Northeast India under the theme ‘experimental Lithic knapping and microwear studies’ began on Saturday at Administrative Training Institute (ATI) Kohima. According to a release Sunday, Pro-vice Chancellor Nagaland university, Kohima campus, Professor Lanununsang in his address as the chief guest of the inaugural function, said society development would not be possible without archaeology studies and guide by it. He said archaeology excavation and exploration was very important so as to know many basic facts finding in research for the scholars and urged the history and archaeology students to explore many unexplored in the region. He challenged the Nagaland University students of History and Archaeology to take advantage of the modern technology and come forward with sophisticated research which was very significant at this stage. The workshop was organised by Department of History and Archaeology of Nagaland University Kohima campus and Indian council of historical research (ICHR), New Delhi. (UNI)
Live crude bomb found near Jain Temple in Dimapur
Kohima: Alert pedestrians discovered a live crude bomb lying beneath a tree some 200 yards away from the Jain Temple and S D Jain School and college here in Nagaland and informed the police thereby possibly averting a major damage on Saturday. According to official sources, the pedestrians were going for prayers at the Jain Temple when they came across the crude bomb lying near the tree and informed the police. As the saturday being. On receiving information, the Dimapur special branch along with the Bomb Detection & Disposal Squad (BDDS) team immediately flung into action and diffused the bomb within minutes of their arrival at site preventing any damage. Sources said police is trying to ascertain how the crude bomb was placed in the area. Further investigations are on. Last year, a grenade was hurled in an office of a transport company just adjacent to the place, where the grenade was recovered on Saturday. Earlier, on March 1, a grenade was hurled inside a building situated at Kalibari road, which also failed to explode. (UNI)
Web telecast of polling from 100 polling booths
Agartala: Election Commission of India (ECI) suggested Tripura to install web telecast of entire voting process at around 100 booths out of a total 3095 where polling is scheduled on April 7 and 12. Chief Electoral Officer Ashutosh Jindal on Sunday said the state election authority had called for a tender for second time last week seeking appropriate agency for the purpose but response is not satisfactory so far. He said in live telecast process except the activity of voting compartment and EVMs to be carried out in the randomly selected 100 polling stations across the state by installing sufficient CCTVs, Jindal said. Considering the poor tele-connectivity in the state, ECI had asked state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) for ensuring steady high-speed internet network for the purpose, he added. However, BSNL sources stated with the requirement, they are installing additional capacity of optical fiber network by end of the month that to facilitate uninterrupted internet connectivity for webcasts from the polling stations through close circuit cameras. Apart from that as many as 20 strong rooms are to be used before, during and after the election. All strong rooms would be placed under CCTV surveillance, Jindal pointed out. To ensure the free and fair election about 20,000 security personnel including 4000 Central paramilitary force (CPMF) from outside the state to be deployed across the state along with state police. (UNI)